The nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers, including 22 in Maine, would receive additional funding and federal support under a bill co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District.
The Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2023 would authorize an increase of $35 million in annual funding for the program over the next four years and empower the centers to build more awareness about their services.
“From lobster boats to dairy farms to the shops in our towns and cities, Maine is home to over 100,000 small businesses,” Golden said. “Imagine if every one of the businesses in Maine knew about the no-cost services offered by Maine SBDCs that have helped small business owners across the Second District expand their businesses and create jobs in their communities.
“My bill will help spread the word about SBDCs and make sure that the help they offer stays available to Maine businesses.”
The centers, operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, help entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses through various services. They include low- or no-cost business training and advice related to business plan development, marketing and sales, e-commerce and small business strategic planning.
‘Broaden the reach’
Maine’s 22 Small Business Development Centers, located from York to Fort Kent, serve the state’s estimated 151,212 small businesses.
“In 2022, Maine SBDCs worked with 2,284 Mainers looking to start, grow or sustain their business,” said Maine SBDC State Director Mark Delisle. He noted that the proposed bill “not only ensures that Mainers have continued access to these no cost and vital services, but aims to broaden the reach of these resources.”
House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez, a New York Democrat, is an original co-sponsor of the bill.
More information
Read the full text of the bill here and find a list of Maine’s Small Business Development Centers here.
